How could officials in Saudi Arabia go from “sending a list of female candidates to the International Olympic Committee for consideration” to refusing women to be part of the Saudi official team?
I find this abrupt turnaround of view to be extremely disappointing. For once, I was not “cautiously optimistic” but actually feeling confident that Saudi Arabia would have some official female Olympians.
I’m not an expert on understanding all the rules and regulations of the Olympic Committee and its charter. I don’t understand how Saudi women could go ahead and participate in the London Olympics without official endorsement from the Kingdom. Can someone explain that to me? That comment just sounds like a face-saving attempt full of gobbledy gook to me.
Yet if a Saudi woman is able to slide in to the Olympics without official endorsement from the Kingdom, Saudi officials still have the “right” to ensure that she is “Islamically attired.”
I’m incensed by this latest in the saga of Saudi women participating in the Olympics. How do Saudi women feel about this news? Or perhaps more women would just like to see physical education programs implemented in schools for female students before launching to the Olympics?
Filed under: culture, Freedoms, politics, religion, Saudi Arabia, Saudi culture, Saudi education, Sports, travel, Uncategorized | Tagged: culture, gender issues, islam, Saudi Arabia | 17 Comments »
